Wi\soo,  S.T 

The  elder 


(  1854 


3  mSTOfflCAl  SURVa, 


►>"♦•»  'i 


THE    ANNUAL    SERMON 


ON 


church:  polity. 


PREACHED  BEFORE  THE  PRESBYTERY  OF  ROCK  RIVER,  AT 

FREEPORT,  OCT.  13,  1856. 


ALSO 


PREACHED,  BY   REQUEST,    BEFORE  THE    SYNOD  OF  CHICAGO,  AT 

leRINCETON,  OCT.  16,  1856. 


BY    THB 


J^ 


REV.   SrTy 'WILSON, 


PASTOR     OP     THE     FIRST     PBESBYTERIAN     CHURCH, 

ROCK    ISLAND,    ILL. 

PUBLISHED  BY  ORDER  OF  PRESBYTERY  AND    RECOMMENDED    FOR    CIRCULATION    BY 

SYNOD. 


«  ♦  »  »  » 


ROCK    ISLAND: 

PERSHING  &  CONNELLY,    PRINTERS,  ROOK  ISLANDER  OFFICE. 

18  57. 


TO 

MY  VENERABLE  FATHER  AND  DEAR  BROTHER, 

TO 
THE   BELOVED  ELDERS  OF  MY  OWN  PASTORAL  CHARGE, 

AND    TO 
THE     MOST     WOKTHY     ELDERS      OF    THE     PRESBYTERY     OF     ROCK    RIVER 

THESB    PAGES    ARE 
AFFECTIONATELY      DEDICATED. 


I- 
>^ 

o 

k 

o 


There  is  no  claim  made  to  originality  in  the  following  pages.  They  simply 
contain  a  little  of  the  "Old  Wine"  from  the  <' Old  Bottles,"  drawn  lor  our 
present  refreshment. 


THE  ELDER., 

"  The  Elders  lohom  are  among  you  1  exhort^  whom  am  also  an 
Elder." — I.  PETER  VI. 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  King  and  Head  of  the  Church  ! 
"He  hath  purchased  it,"  saith  the  Apostle,  "with  his  own  blood.'* 

In  its  visible  form  the  Church  consists  of  "  all  those,  throughout 
the  world,  who  profess  the  true  religion,  together  with  their  children." 
According  to  this  definition,  the  Church  is  a  body  of  individuals 
associated  together  by  the  authority  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  subject  to 
his  government  and  laws,  for  the  purpose  of  divine  worship  and 
spiritual  edification.  Wherever  men  are  associated  together,  and 
for  whatever  purpos3,  government  and  laws  are  indispensable ;  for, 
saith  the  Saviour,  "  It  is  impossible  but  that  offences  will  come." 
This  fact  involves  the  further  necessity  of  officers  who  shall  apply  the 
laws  and  administer  the  government,  so  as  to  secure  the  ends  of  their 
establishment,  and  promote  the  highest  interests  of  the  governed. — 
The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  is  no  exception  to  this  universal  necessi- 
ty. In  all  ages  and  under  all  dispensations,  it  has  had  its  constitu- 
tion, prescribing  the  character  and  form  of  its  government,  and  the 
character  and  functions  of  its  officers.  This  is  clearly  manifest  in 
connection  with  the  Patriarchal  and  National  forms  of  the  Church 
under  the  old  dispensations ;  and  no  less  so  in  connection  with  its 
Apostolic  organization  under  the  new  dispensation.  Accordingly 
Paul  testifies  concerning  Jesus  Christ  as  the  King  and  Head  of  the 
Church,  that  when  he  ascended  "he  gave  some,  apostles;  and  some, 
prophets  )  and  some,  evangelists ;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers  ;" 
''after  that  miracles,  then  gifts  of  healing,  helps,  governments,  diver- 


sity  of  tongues'' — "for  the  perfecting  of  the  Saints,  for  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ;  till  we  all 
come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of 
God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the 
fullness  of  Christ." 

There  has  been,  however,  much  diversity  of  opinion  and  of  prac- 
tice in  the  Christian  Church  itself  on  this  subject  of  its  government 
and  officers. 

It  is  usually  said  that  there  are  four  radically  different  theories  of 
ecclesiastical  polity. 

The  Firzt  of  these  is  the  Papal  theory,  which  we  may  characterize 
as  a  sort  of  spiritual  monarchy^  insisting  upon  the  necessity  of  one^ 
supreme,  universal,  infallible  head  of  the  whole  body  throughout  the 
world,  who  is  the  authorized  Vicar  of  Christ ! 

The  Secondj  is  the  Episcopal,  which  is  a  spiritual  prelacy,  con- 
tending for  an  order  of  clerical  prelates,  who  are  above  the  rank  of 
ordinary  ministers  of  the  Word,  being  alone  empowered  to  perform 
ordination,  and  whose  presiding  agency  is  indispensible  to  the  exis- 
tence of  the  church. 

The  Third,  is  the  Independent,  a  spiritual  democracy,  which  vests 
all  ecclesiastical  power  with  the  people  in  such  a  sense,  that  all  acts 
of  ecclesiastical  authority   must  be  performed  immediately  by  them. 

The  Fourth,  is  the  Presbyterian,  a  spiritual  repuhlicanism,  in  the 
legitimate  sense  of  the  term ;  the  distinguishing  features  of  which 
are  these  three. — 1.  That  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  Head  of  the 
Church,  has  made  all  ministers  of  the  Word  and  Sacraments  perfectly 
equal  in  official  rank  and  power.  2.  That  the  government  of  the 
Church  and  all  exercise  of  ecclesiastical  power  is  vested  in  a  body  of 
representatives,  whom  the  Scriptures  call  ^'presbuterot,"  or  Elders, 
including  the  '^  Bishop ''  or  "Pastor"  of  the  Church  and  such  others, 
distinguished  for  their  zeal,  wisdom  and  godliness,  as  have  been 
chosen  from  among  the  people,  and  solemnly  set  apart  and  ordained 
to  bear  rule  in  God's  house.  Or  in  other  words;  a  body  of  represen- 
tatives consisting  of  the  "presbuteroi,"  or  ''Elders,"  who  do,  and 
who  do  not,  "labor  in  the  word  and  doctrine,"  as  St.  Paul  charac- 
terizes them.  3.  That  the  whole  visible  Church  is  one)  not  only  in 
name  and  theory,  but  in  fact  and  operation;  all  its  ^'many  members  " 


being,  by  a  series  of  autlioritative  ecclesiastical  assemblies,  so  united 
together  in  vital  dependence ;  having  one  faith,  one  order,  one  oper- 
ation ;  moved  by  the  same  common  life,  walking  by  the  same  common 
rule,  and  voluntarily,  yet  authoritatively,  governed  by  the  same  con- 
stitution and  laws — as  to  constitute,  in  exact  conformity  to  the  beau- 
tiful imagery  of  the  Saviour,  om  living,  spiritual  body,  of  which 
Himself  is  the  Head  ! 

The  Presbyterian  system  of  Polity  differs,  therefore,  from  the  Papal 
and  the  Episcopal,  as  it  relates  to  the  ministry;  and  from  the  Inde- 
pendent, or  Congregational,  as  it  relates  to  the  office  of  Kuling  Elder, 
and  the  real  and  authoritative  unity  of  the  Church.  The  term  Pres- 
byterian, therefore,  which  is  frequently  used  in  a  wide  and  general 
sense,  to  designate  the  whole  system  of  doctrine,  government  and 
worship  which  is  peculiar  to  this  branch  of  the  Christian  Church,  is 
in  strictness,  applicable  only  to  that  particular  theory  of  ecclesiastical 
government  just  referred  to.  And  wherever  this  system  of  ecclesi- 
astical polity  exists,  we  have  Presbyterianism  properly  so  called, 
whether  it  be  among  the  Reformed  Churches  of  Germany,  or  Switzer- 
land, or  France,  or  Holland,  or  Scotland,  or  the  various  members  of 
the  great  family  in  our  own  country. 

AYhile  we  do  not  contend  for  any  one  form  of  government,  as  essen- 
tial to  the  existence  of  the  Church,  yet,  it  would  seem  to  be  the  dic- 
tate, alike,  of  reason  and  the  whole  analogy  of  faith,  that,  that  which 
received  the  sanction  of  the  inspired  Apostles  in  the  first  establish- 
ment of  the  church,  should  be  regarded  as  most  agreeable  to  the  mind 
of  CHirist,  and  in  so  far  binding  upon  the  Church,  and  best  calculated 
to  promote  the  great  ends  for  which  it  was  established.  The  Pres- 
byterian Church,  recognizing  and  acting  upon  the  great  fundamental 
maxim,  that  the  Scriptures  are  the  only  and  the  sufficient  rule  of 
faith  and  order,  professes  to  derive  her  constitution  and  form  of 
government  from  this  source  alone  ;  and  believing  that  all  the  great 
features  of  her  system  are  authorized  by  Apostolic  precept  and 
Apostolic  practice,  she  cannot  but  regard  them  as  having  the  highest 
possible  sanctions,  and  as  being  best  calculated  to  secure  the  great 
ends,  and  promote  the  great  objects  of  the  Church's  establishment. 

It  is  not  my  purpose,  however,  to  discuss  this  Presbyterian  and — as 
we  think — Scriptural  system  of  ecclesiastical  organization ;  but  simply 


8 

and  briefly  to  consider  that  single  feature  of  it,  to  wit :  the  office  of 
Ruling  Elder.     This  I  shall  do  under  the  following  heads — 

I.  The  Scriptural  warrant  for  the  office,  as  existing  in  the  Presby- 
terian Church. 

II.  The  true  nature  of  the  office. 

III.  The  proper  duties  of  the  office.     And 

IV.  The  qualifications  necessary  for  the  right  discharge  of  these 
duties.  And,  as  appropriate  to  this  subject,  I  have  selected  the 
passage  before  quoted. 

The  simple  propositions  of  our  standards,  as  bearing  upon  this  sub- 
ject, are  these  :  "The  ordinary  and  perpetual  officers  of  the  church 
of  Christ  are  Bishops  or  Pastors ;  the  representatives  of  the  people, 
usually  styled  Ruling  Elders,  and  Deacons*"  "Ruling  Elders  are 
properly  the  representatives  of  the  people,  chosen  by  them  for  the 
purpose  of  exercising  government  and  discipline  in  connection  with 
pastors  or  ministers.''  The  thing  to  be  established  is  "That  in  the 
divine  and  Apostolic  constitution  of  the  church  there  is  an  order  of 
officers  who,  while  they  are  not  authorized  to  administer  the  Word 
and  the  Sacraments,  are  yet,  as  the  representatives  of  the  people,  set 
apart  and  associated  with  the  Bishops  or  Pastors  in  the  administration 
of  the  government  and  the  exercise  of  the  discipline  of  the  church.'' 
The  proof  of  this  proposition  is  to  be  derived  mainly  from  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

In  doing  this  I  may  assume  what,  perhaps,  no  one  here  will  deny  : 
That  the  church  of  Christ  in  all  ages  and  under  all  dispensations  is 
owe.  As  a  consequence  of  this,  such  elements  of  the  Church's  con- 
stitution and  the  government  under  the  former  dispensations  as  have 
not  been  abrogated  or  supplanted  by  the  new  dispensation,  still  belong 
to  its  present  organization  and  are  in  full  force.  This  principle 
involves  some  most  vital  consequences  in  connection  with  other  ele- 
ments of  the  Church's  constitution,  and  the  recognition  of  it  is  of  the 
utmost  importance. 

But  without  stopping  to  consider  its  application  to  other  depart- 
ment of  ecclesiastical  economy,  we  claim  only  that  the  government 
and  discipline  of  the  Church,  as  vested  in  a  bench  of  Elders — the 
question  now  under  consideration — was  a  prominent  feature  in  the 
Churche's  organization  from  the  very  beginning,  and  up  to  the  time 


9 

of  the  introduction  of  the  new  dispensation ;  that  it  was  not  abroga- 
ted either  then,  before,  or  since  ;  and,  consequently,  it  remains  an 
element  of  the  Church's  organization  yet.  It  cannot  be  doubted  that 
the  government  of  the  Church  under  the  old  dispensation,  and  the 
entire  control  of  ecclesiastical  affairs  among  the  ancient  people  of 
God,  except  in  so  far  as  administered  by  God  himself,  or  by  his  special 
ministers  the  Prophets,  was  by  that  class  of  representatives  who  are 
uniformly  caWed  Elders ;  the  "Elders  of  the  people;"  the  "Elders 
of  the  congregation ;"  the  "  Elders  of  the  Synagogue,"  &c.;  and 
this  was  continued  through  all  the  vicissitudes  of  the  nation,  and  of 
the  Church,  up  to  the  very  time  of  Christ.  While  the  people  of  God 
were  yet  in  Egypt,  they  had  their  Elders ;  men  of  experience  and 
wisdom  who  exercised  authority  among  them,  and  were  recognized 
in  this  official  character,  not  only  by  the  people,  but  even  by  Jehovah 
himself,  who  addressed  the  people,  made  known  unto  them  his  will 
and  directed  their  movements  throng  the  medium  of  these  Elders. 
Almost  innumerable  passages  of  Scriptures  might  be  adduced  in  proof 
of  this,  but  a  single  one  will  suffice.  "Go  gather  the  Elders oi 
Israel,"  saith  Jehovah  to  Moses,  (Ex.  3:  16,  &c.)  "  and  say  unto 
the77i,  The  Lord  God  of  your  Fathers,  the  God  of  x\braham,  of  Isaac 
and  of  Jacob  appeared  unto  me  saying  I  have  surely  visited  you  and 
seen  that  which  is  done  to  you  in  Egypt — and  the^ — the  Elders — 
shall  hearken  to  thy  voice  and  thou  shalt  come,  thou  and  the  Elders 
of  Israel  unto  the  King  of  Egypt,  and  7/e  shall  say  unto  him,  the 
Lord  of  the  Hebrews  has  met  with  us,"  &c.  How  clearly  and  fully 
are  the  Elders  in  their  official  character  and  their  representative 
relations  to  the  people  of  Israel,  the  Church  of  God,  recognized  in 
this  divine  commisssion  !  In  like  manner  when  the  ritual  dispensa- 
tion was  introduced,  and  the  ecclesiastical  system  of  the  Jews  fully 
organized,  the  same  method  of  dispensing  justice,  of  executing  dis- 
cipline and  of  conducting  the  affairs  of  the  congregation  was  estab- 
lished throughout  the  nation.  During  the  long  period  of  the  Judges 
and  the  Kings — during  the  time  of  the  Babylonish  Captivity, — and 
afterwards,  how  frequent,  almost  innumerable  are  the  references  to 
the  Elders,  as  the  representatives  of  the  people,  acting  in  an  authori- 
tative capacity  in  ecclesiastical  matters  !  The  fact  upon  which  this 
argument  rests,  becomes  more  and  more  manifest  with  every  step  as 

A 


10 

we  approach  the  period  of  transition  from  the  old  to  the  new  dispen- 
sation ;  and  as  a  consequence,  the  argument  itself  becomes  far  more 
manifest,  and  far  more  valuable  and  authoritative.  Especially  is  this 
the  case  after  the  establishment  of  the  Synagogues,  and  the  intro- 
duction of  the  Synagogue  worship,  which,  we  have  every  reason  to 
regard,  as  the  fuller  development  of  the  religious  and  spiritual  ele- 
ments of  the  Jewish  dispensation  in  contradistinction  to  the  ritual 
and  ceremonial ;  and,  therefore,  as  the  Church  of  God  assuming, 
more  and  more,  its  present  form  and  character.  Indeed,  the  Syna- 
gogues have  been,  with  great  force  and  beauty,  characterized  as  '^  the 
parish  Churches  of  the  Jews  ;"  and  at  the  advent  of  Christ,  they 
had  come  to  embody  the  entire  religious  and  spiritual  elements  of  the 
Jewish  ecclesiastical  ins  titutions,  to  such  a  degree,  and  to  constitute 
the  Church  of  God,  in  such  a  sense,  that,  to  ^'  put  a  man  out  of  the 
Synagogue,^'  was  to  excommunicate  him  from  the  body  of  the  pro- 
fessing people  of  God  !  The  conclusion,  therefore,  is  legitimate  and 
unavoidable,  that  the  Synagogues,  built  in  every  city  and  village, 
and  dotted  all  over  the  land,  were  the  Churches  of  that  day,  precisely 
as  these  edifices,  in  which  the  people  of  God  assemble  from  time  to 
time  for  the  exercise  of  his  worship,  are  the  Churches  of  this  day. 
But  the  leading  officers  of  the  Synagogues,  these  ''  parish  Churches 
of  the  Jews/'  as  is  manifest  from  their  whole  history,  were  a  Bishop 
or  Ruler,  by  pre-eminence,  who  presided  over  the  public  exercises, 
and  conducted  the  religious  worship  of  the  people  :  and  a  company 
of  Elders  chosen  to  bear  rule  in  the  congregation  :  and  these  formed 
a  kind  of  ecclesiastical  session  to  receive  applications  for  admission 
into  the  Church,  and  as  the  representatives  of  the  Church  to  preserve 
its  purity,  to  watch  over  the  conduct  of  its  ministers,  and  to  conduct 
its  worship,  its  government  and  its  discipline;  and  to  do  all  that  was 
necessary  to  be  done  to  preserve  the  ordinances  of  God,  and  to  pro- 
mote the  religious  and  spiritual  welfare  of  His  people.  Nor  can  it  be 
said  that  these  were  merely  civil  officers,  and  this  the  discharge  of 
their  duties  as  such  ;  for  it  is  admitted  by  writers  of  the  yery  highest 
authority  on  all  sides,  such  as  Stillingfleet,  Rutherford,  Gillespie  and 
others,  that  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  offices  were  entirely  distinct ; 
and  that  the  latter  existed  long  after  the  former  had  almost  entirely 
passed  away.    It  may  safely  be  affirmed  that  there  is  not  to  be  found 


11 

on  recordj  an  instance  where  a  matter  calling  for  ecclesiastical  action, 
was  referred  to  tlie  people  for  adjudication,  hut  ahvai/s  to  their  repre- 
sentatives, the  Elders.  And  this  fact,  it  seems  to  me,  must  carry 
with  it  into  the  consideration  of  the  question  before  us  immense 
weight,  when  we  remember  that  the  New  Testament  Church,  as  estab- 
lished by  the  Apostles  and  as  transmitted  to  us,  was  modelled  imme- 
diately after  these  Jewish  Synagogues.  Indeed  the  transition  was  so 
easy  and  the  change  so  natural,  from  the  Synagogue  Church  of  the 
old  dispensation,  to  the  Gospel  Church  of  the  new  dispensation,  in 
all  that  concerned  its  outward  organization,  government,  officers  and 
worship,  as  scarcely  to  be  a  change  at  all.  It  seems  much  more  like 
the  natural  and  easy  advancement  of  the  same  spiritual  organization 
from  aiji  imperfect  to  a  perfect  development — a  change  similar  to  that 
which  is  constantly  going  on  under  our  own  eyes,  of  the  embryo 
Presbyterian  Church,  into  that  which  is  fully  organized  and  equipped. 
When  we  take  into  consideration  the  fact,  that  the  first  Churches 
formed  by  the  Apostles,  were  made  up  entirely  of  Jews,  and  by  men 
who  were  themselves  Jews,  and  who  had  always  been  accustomed,  in 
their  ecclesiastical  affairs,  to  the  government  and  control  of  Elders 
chosen  for  that  purpose,  it  will  seem  no  more  than  natural, — yea  will 
it  not  seem  unavoidable  ?  that  these  Churches  should  be  organized 
and  established  on  the  same  principles,  and  perpetuating  all  the  same 
great  features,  not  incompatible  with  the  spiritual  nature  of  the  dis- 
pensation, of  that  organization  and  government  with  which  they  had 
always  been  familiar,  and  the  only  one  about  which  they  knew  any 
thing  at  all !  This  consideration  will  have  great  additional  weight 
when  we  remember  with  what  stubborn,  inveterate  tenacity,  that 
people  clung  to  all  the  established  forms  of  their  spiritual  and  relig- 
ious things,  and  how  sternly  they  resisted  every  change,  however 
small,  of  those  institutions,  which  came  to  them  with  the  impress, 
in  any  form,  of  the  divine  sanction,  and  hallowed  by  all  the  traditions 
of  their  fathers.  Nor  do  the  facts,  as  they  are  on  record,  disappoint 
this  "a  priori"  expectation.  The  very  moment  we  cross  the  thresh- 
hold  of  those  early  Churches  of  the  Apostles,  and  the  models  of  all 
Churches,  we  begin  to  detect  the  presence  of  familiar  forms  and  hear 
the  sound  of  familiar  names.  As  we  had  become  familiar  with  the 
^'Rulers  of  the  Synagogue*'    and  the    ^'Elders  of    the  people" 


12 

and  of  the  "Congregation,'*  and  had  seen  them  presiding  over  the 
worship  of  God's  people,  and  administering  the  government  and 
discipline  of  his  house  ;  so  here,  we  meet  with  the  "  Bishops  and 
Elders  of  the  Church,"  still  presiding  over  the  worship,  administer- 
ing the  discipline,  and  hearing  rule  in  God's  house.  We  read  of 
**  Elders  heing  ordained  in  every  Church  ;"  of  *'  Elders  who  ruled 
well  but  did  not  labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine  ;"  of  Elders  sent 
for  to  visit  and  pray  over  the  sick  ;"  of  **  Elders  being  called 
together  to  receive  the  Apostolical  charges  ;'*  of  the  "  Elders  and 
Bishops  called  to  consider  of  important  ecclesiastical  questions;"  and, 
of  a  case  of  much  difficulty  and  delicacy  being  referred  to  **  the 
Apostles  and  Elders  for  their  decision,"  &c.,  (fee.  These  facts,  taken 
in  connection  with  that  opposite  fact,  before  referred  to,  that  there 
is  no  recorded  instance  of  the  entire  membership  of  the  Church, 
sitting  in  judgment  on  a  case  of  government  or  discipline,  or  of  their 
assuming  or  exercising  the  functions  of  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  in 
any  form,  have,  it  seems  to  me,  immense  weight  and  unanswerable 
authority,  as  bearing  upon  the  whole  question  of  the  existence,  and 
the  official  character  and  functions  of  Kuling  Elders  in  the  primitive 
Churches  as  organized  and  established  by  the  Apostles  of  our  Lord. 
But  the  argument  for  the  office  of  the  Ruling  Elder  need  not  stop 
here.  If  I  had  the  time  and  inclination,  and  if  it  comported  with 
the  present  design,  it  might  be  easily  shown,  upon  the  fullest  and 
clearest  testimony  of  those  early  Christian  Fathers,  whoso  writings 
constitute  the  great  treasure  house  of  early  church  history,  that  in 
the  period  immediately  succeeding  the  times  of  the  Apostles, — con- 
fessedly the  purest  period  of  the  Church's  history, — the  Churches 
which  then  existed  were  organized  under  the  pastoral  care  of  a  single 
Bishop,  with  Ruling  Elders  and  Deacons  ;  and  this  continued  to  be 
the  case  till  the  times  of  the  Church's  corruption,  in  doctrine  and 
government.  There  is  a  mass  of  evidence  in  proof  of  this  position 
to  be  derived  from  the  early  writers,  which  would  fill  a  volume.  The 
same  also  is  true  of  those  later  and  darker  periods  of  the  Church's 
history,  when  true  religion  and  the  pure  ordinances  of  God's  house 
had  iled  like  the  frightened  and  wounded  dove,  to  the  wilderness  and 
the  waste  places,  with  the  persecuted  Waldenses,  Albigenses,  (fee. — 
Paring  that  long  period,  when  the  pall  of  an  Egyptian  night  spread 


o 


over  the  Christian  world,  this  "  Church  in  the  wilderness,'*  still 
adhered  to  her  ancient  and  Apostolical  constitution,  with  its  pure 
doctrines  and  simple  polity — its  Pastors  and  Elders  and  Deacons. 
And  when  the  voice  of  Luther  and  his  compeers  called  the  apostate 
Church  to  that  glorious  "  Eeformation  "  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
the  leaders  of  that  great  movement,  almost  without  an  exception, 
expressed  a  preference  for  this  ancient  and  authoritative  polity,  which 
we  claim  as  our  birthright  and  boon  ! 

Such,  very  briefly  and  very  inadequately  exhibited,  is  the  line  of 
the  historical  argument  for  the  office  of  Ruling  Elder  as  set  forth  in 
our  Standards  ;  and  for  the  Presbyterian  Church  polity  so  far  as 
this  goes.  And  to  my  mind  this  historical  argument,  thus  so  im- 
perfectly indicated,  as  it  lies  mantling  upon  the  surface,  and  flows 
through  all  the  arteries  of  the  Church's  history,  is  at  once  convinc- 
ing and  unanswerable  ! 

But  to  return  to  that  which  is  more  properly  the  Scriptural  argu- 
ment. 

We  said  before,  that  whenever  the  Apostles  began,  in  the  execu- 
tion of  their  great  commission,  to  organize  Churches,  we  find  the 
officers  of  these  to  be  almost  the  very  same,  both  in  their  titles  and 
the  functions  of  their  offices,  with  those  which  belonged  to  the  Syna- 
gogues of  the  old  dispensation.  We  immediately  find  in  all  the 
Churches  **  Bishops"  or  *♦  Teachers,"  *' Elders"  or  "Rulers"  or 
*'  Overseers,"  and  Deacons.  The  Elders  are  exhorted  to  take  the 
oversight  of  the  flock  and  to  bear  rule  in  the  Church;  while  the 
members  are  exhorted  to  be  in  subjection  to  them,  as  those  set  over 
them  in  the  Lord;  to  honor  them  very  highly  for  their  work's  sake, 
and  to  love  and  obey  them  in  all  good  things. 

But  in  addition  to  this  strong  inferential  argument,  there  are  certain 
passages  in  the  New  Testament  which,  as  bearing  upon  this  subject, 
not  only  illustrate  each  other,  but,  taken  together,  form  a  chain  of 
argument  in  support  of  this  element  of  our  ecclesiastical  polity  which, 
certainly,  seems  to  be  convincing  and  unanswerable.  Wishing  to 
show  unto  his  Corinthian  brethren  how  abundant  and  appropriate  the 
provisions  were,  which  God  had  made  for  the  establishment  of  his 
Church,  and  the  spiritual  nurture  and  edification  of  his  people;  the 
Apostle  says  to  them;  (1  Cor.  12:  28)  **God  hath  set  some  in  the 


14 

Church,  first  Apostles,  secondly  prophets,  thirdly  teachers:  after  that, 
miracles;  then  gifts  of  healings,  helps,  governments,  diversities  of 
tongues;"  for,  says  he,  **  There  are  diversities  of  gifts,  bnt  the  same 
Spirit;  and  the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every  man  to 
profit  withal."  From  this  passage  we  see  very  clearly  what  officers, 
both  ordinary  and  extraordinary,  God  hath  ordained  for  his  Church, 
to  establish,  perpetuate  and  govern  it,  and  to  execute  its  discipline 
and  preserve  its  purity.  And  because  the  wants  of  the  Church  are 
diSerent,  and  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  are  different,  the  officers  are  of 
necessity,  different,  and  their  functions  different,  and  their  operations 
different;  but  all  indispensible  to  the  existence  and  welfare  of  the  body. 
To  illustrate  his  arguments  he  compares  the  church,  in  its  organized 
capacity,  to  the  human  body,  and  asks,  "  If  the  foot  should  say,  be- 
cause I  am  not  the  hand  I  am  not  of  the  body;  is  it  therefore  not  of 
the  body?  And  if  the  ear  should  say,  because  I  am  not  the  eye,  I 
am  not  of  the  body;  is  it  therefore  not  of  the  body?  If  the  whole 
body  were  an  eye,  where  were  the  hearing?  If  the  whole  were  hear- 
ing, where  were  the  smelling?  And  if  they  were  all  one  member, 
where  were  the  body?  But  now  are  they  many  members,  yet  but 
one  body^  And  the  eye  cannot  say  to  the  hand,  I  have  no  need  of 
thee;  nor  again  the  head  to  the  foot,  I  have  no  need  of  thee."  Un- 
der this  beautiful  and  appropriate  figure  the  Apostle  represents  the 
Church  as  having  many  members,  and  many  departments,  and  many 
officers;  **  some  Apostles,  some  prophets,  teachers,  miracles,  helps, 
governments,  tongues;"  and  all  in  their  own  departments,  and  in  the 
exercise  of  their  own  functions,  indispensible  to  the  existence  and 
welfare  of  the  body;  for  **  Ye  are  the  body  of  Christ  and  members  in 
particular."  This  passage,  therefore,  as  we  will  perceive,  clearly  rec- 
ognizes **  helps'^  and  '•'  governments,'*  as  distinct  officers  in  the  Church; 
as  much  so  as  Apostles,  or  Prophets,  or  Teachers;  and  although  very 
different  from  these  in  the  character  and  functions  of  their  offices,  yet 
equally  indispensible  to  the  welfare  of  the  Church,  '*  That  there  should 
be  no  schism  in  the  body!"  We  might  not  be  able,  indeed,  to  arrive 
at  any  very  definite  conclusion,  from  the  passage  itself,  as  to  the  pre- 
cise nature,  or  f auctions  of  the  offices  indicated  by  these  terms:  but 
the  fact  of  there  being  such  officers,  and  that  they  belonged  to  the 
primitive  and  apostolic  constitution  of  the  Church,  is  made  clear. 


15 

Again,  therefore,  Paul  says  to  Timothy,  "  Let  the  Elders  that  rule 
well  be  counted  worthy  of  double  honor  especially  they  who  labor 
in  the  word  and  doctrine."  This  passage  interprets  the  former  one, 
in  so  far  as  to  show  us,  that  the  "governments"  spoken  of  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  are  the  same  as  those  who  are  spoken  of 
here  as  "ruling  well,"  and  are  called  presbuteroi  or  Elders;  and  that 
they  are  not  "  Teachers,"  or  ministers  of  the  word  and  sacraments, 
the  Apostle  is  careful  to  show  by  using  such  a  form  of  expression, 
as  clearly  distinguishes  between  the  two  classes;  characterizing  the 
one  as  "ruling  well,"  and  at  the  same  time  '* laboring  in  the  word 
and  doctrine;"  and  the  other  as  "ruling  well,"  and  not  "laboring 
in  the  word  and  doctrine/'  It  would  surely  be  difficult  to  conceive 
how  two  classes  of  officers,  the  functions  of  whose  offices  are  in  part 
the  same,  and  in  part  different,  could  be  characterized,  so  as  to  mark 
and  define,  at  once  the  coincidence,  and  the  difference,  more  fully, 
and  in  fewer  words  than  in  the  language  of  the  Apostle.  And  I  may 
be  allowed  to  say,  it  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  how  the  very  let- 
ter, and  spirit,  and  substance  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  doctrine  on 
the  subject  of  Ruling  Elders,  could  be  more  clearly,  more  fully,  or 
more  concisely  stated,  than  in  these  words  of  the  great  Apostle.  I, 
at  least,  should  be  willing  to  take  this  passage  alone,  as  my  deffini- 
tion  of,  and  my  warrant  for  the  office  of  Ruling  Elder.  The  great 
Owen  calls  the  evidence  afforded  by  this  passage,  "  incontrolahle  ev- 
idence;" and,  verily  it  is  so.  Can  it  be  supposed  for  a  moment  that 
Paul  did  not  mean  to  designate  by  that  emphatic  "especm//y,"  two 
distinct  classes  of  Elders,  the  functions  of  whose  offices  were  not  co- 
incident? When  Paul  said  to  Titus,  "  There  are  many  unruly  and 
vain  talkers  and  deceivers,  especial! >/  they  of  the  circumcision;"  did 
he  not  design  to  say  that  there  were  two  classes  of  "  talkers  and  de- 
ceivers," one  Jewish  and  the  other  Gentile?  Assuredly  he  did. — 
Just  so  when  Paul  says,  "  especially  those  who  labor  in  the  word  and 
doctrine,"  he  means  to  say,  and  to  be  understood  as  saying,  that  there 
are  two  classes  of  Elders;  one  "  ruling  well"  and  not  teaching,  the 
other  "  ruling  well"  and  "  teaching  well,"  too!  Let  us  therefore,  as 
Paul  did,  recognize  the  divine  warrant  for,  and  do  honor  to  that  noble 
class  of  Church  officers  who  "  rule  well"  in  God's  house! 

But  the  argument  for  the  office  of  Ruling  Elder,  as  contained  in 


16 

these  passages,  receives  a  strong  additional  confirmation  from  the 
12th  chapter  of  Romans;  where  the  Apostle,  addressing  those  whom 
God  had  set  in  the  Church  for  its  edification,  and  exhorting  them  to 
diligence  and  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  their  ofiicial  duties,  uses 
such  language  as  clearly  indicates  and  defines  three  distinct  classes 
of  perpetual  officers,  as  belonging  to  the  Church's  organization.  And 
it  is  pleasing  to  notice  the  almost  perfect  correspondence  of  these 
three  classes,  with  those  which  are  defined  and  provided  for  in  the 
Standards  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  To  make  this  correspondence 
the  more  manifest,  and  the  argument  from  the  passage  the  stronger, 
the  Apostle  indicates  the  several  officers,  not  by  their  titles,  but  by 
the  functions  of  their  offices.  ^^For,''  says  he,  ''as  we  have  many 
members  in  one  body,  and  all  members  have  not  the  same  office;  so 
we,  being  many,  are  one  body  in  Christ,  and  every  one  members  one 
of  an  other.  Having  then  gifts  difi'ering  according  to  the  grace  that 
is  given  to  us,  whether  prophecy,  let  us  prophesy  according  to  the  pro- 
portion of  faith;  or  ministry,  let  us  wait  on  our  ministering;  or  he 
that  teacheth,  on  teaching;  or  he  that  exhorteth,  on  exhortation;  he 
that  giveth,  let  him  do  it  with  simplicity;  he  that  rideth  with  dili- 
gence; he  that  sheweth  mercy,  with  cheerfulness.''  Here,  then,  are 
the  three  classes  of  perpetual  officers,  with  which  the  Great  Head  of 
the  Church  has  furnished  her  for  edification: — here  are  the  "Bishops" 
or  ^'Pastors,"  with  their  ^'teachings"  and  their  "exhortations;"  here 
are  the  "Deacons"  "giving  with  simplicity;"  "showing  mercy  with 
cheerfulness:"    and  here  are  the  "Elders,"  "ruling  with  diligencel" 

That  which  is  of  special  importance  in  connection  with  this  pas- 
sage, and  deserves  our  special  notice,  is  the  fact  that  the  Apostle 
makes  no  mention  whatsoever,  of  those  temporary  officers,  which 
were  provided  for  the  emergencies  of  the  Church's  first  establish- 
ment; and  who,  for  this  purpose,  were  endowed  with  special  and 
temporary  gifts,  as  apostles,  prophets,  workers  of  miracles,  &c.,  &c. 
He  may  therefore  be  considered  as  indicating,  what  were  the  perpet- 
ual officers  of  the  Church;  and  as  defining  those  offices,  and  their 
functions,  which  are  'perpetually  necessary  to  the  Church's  complete 
organization. 

Upon  the  strength  and  value  of  the  arguments  derived  from  these 
passages,  therefore,  we  might  be  willing  to  rest  the  question  of  the 
Scriptural  warrant  for  the  office  of  Ruling  Elder. 


IT 

Still,  howeveFj  there  are  other  arguments  to  be  drawn  from  the 
Scriptures,  which,  perhaps,  are  equally  conclusive.  For  example 
there  is  a  peculiar  form  of  expression  which  is  common  to  all  the 
New  Tesiament  writers,  and  which  cannot  but  be  significant  and  in- 
structive as  bearing  upon  this  question.  What  I  refer  to,  is  that  almost 
invariable  use  of  the  plural  form  of  expression,  when  speaking  of 
this  officer  of  the  Church.  It  is  not  Elder^  but  Elders  in  all  cases. 
Thus  in  Acts  14:  28.  "And  when  they  had  ordained  them  Elders/^ 
ke.  ^'Elders  in  every  Church"  great  and  small !  15:  6.  "And 
the  Apostles  and  Elders  came  together:"  20:  17,  28.  ''And 
Paul  sent  to  Ephesus  and  called  the  Elders  of  the  Church:'* 
I  Thess.  5:  12.  "We  beseech  you,  brethren,  know  ihe77i  which  labor 
among  you:"  I  Tim.  5:  17.  "Let  the  Elders  that  rule  well:" 
Titus  1:  5.  "For  this  cause  left  I  thee  in  Crete,  that  thou 
shouldst  ordain  Elders  in  every  city,  as  I  have  appointed  thee:'' 
Heb.  13:17.  "Remember  ^Aew  which  have  the  rule  over  you:" 
James  5:  14.  "Is  any  sick  among  you?  let  him  call  for  the  Elders 
of-the  Church"  and  I  Peter  5:  1,  2,  3.  "  The  Elders  which 
are  among  you  I  exhort,  whom  am  also  an  Elder.. .feed  the  flock 
of  God  which  is  among  you,  taking  the  oversight  thereof,  not  by  con- 
straint, but  willingly;  not  for  filthy  lucre,  but  of  a  ready  mind;  neither 
as  being  lords  over  God's  heritage,  but  being  examples  to  the  flock." 

Indeed,  I  believe  it  to  be  true  that  every  Church  that  is  addressed 
in  such  a  way  as  to  call  forth  an  expression  on  this  subject  at  all,  is 
addressed  as  having  a  jBlurality  of  Elders;  and  these  "Elders"  are 
represented  as  sustaining  such  relations  to  the  Church;  as  being 
clothed  with  such  authority;  and  as  being  charged  with  such  duties  and 
responsibilities;  and  in  such  terms,  too,  as  to  force  upon  us  the  conclu- 
sion, either  that  they  were  all  "Pastors,"  or  "Teachers;"  clothed  with 
all  the  functions  of  the  Gospel  ministry,  and  authorized  to  preach 
the  word  and  to  administer  the  sacraments:  or  that  they  were  that 
body  of  men  spoken  of  in  the  Presbyterian  Standards,  and  held  by 
us  as  belonging  to  the  primitive  and  apostolic  constitution  of  the 
Church,  including  the  "Pastor"  or  "Teacher"  of  the  Church, 
and  those  "Governments"  spoken  of  by  Paul  as  being  set  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  as  "overseers"  to  the  flock.  That  they  were  all 
"Pastors"  or  "Teachers"  is  simply  inconceivable,  as  being  at  once 

3 


16 

nnneec'ssarj  and  impossiblo.  Sound  judgmenf,  tlieroforo,  will  Ieii(] 
us  back  and  confine  us  to  the  conclusion  above;  that  the  "Elders  of 
the  Church,"  so  frequently  referred  to,  were  the  teaching  Elders  and 
the  ruling  Elders,  in  their  associated  and  official  capacity,  as  the 
'•'Overseers"  of  the  ( 'hurch.  This  interpretation,  and  I  believe  it  is 
the  only  one  that  vrill,  meets  all  the  conditions  of  the  passages,  and 
removes  all  that  obscurity  and  confusion  otherwise  attending  them. 

Another  argument  is  to  be  drawn  from  the  very  common  habit  of 
the  New  Testament  writers,  of  freely  interchanging  the  names,  and 
titles,  and  functions  of  the  several  ofhcers  of  the  Church;  calling  the 
same  officers  at  one  time,  -'liishops;"  at  another,  "Overseers;"  at  an 
other,  "Rulers;"  at  another,  "'JCkiers;"  and  characterizing  them,  at 
one  time,  as  "feeding  the  flock;"  at  an  other,  as,  "Overseers"  in  the 
house  of  God;"  at  auother,  as  "ruling  well,"  &c.,  kc.  This  is  a  fact 
that  is  frequently  overlooked,  and  yet,  to  my  mind,  it  has  very  great 
weight  as  bearing  upon  the  question  of  the  Elder  in  the  apostolic 
(Jhurches.  Thus,  in  writing  to  Titus,  Tit.  1:  5,  Paul  says,  "For 
this  cause  left  I  thee  in  Crete  that  thou  shouldst  set  in  order 
the  things  that  are  wanting,  and  ordain  Elders,  "presbuterous," 
in  the  original,  in  every  city:  if  any  be  blameless,  the  husband  of 
one  wife,  having  faithful  children,  not  accused  of  riot  not  unruly. 
For  a  Bishop,  "epi.skopon"  in  the  original,  "must  be  blameless," 
&c.  Thus  characterizing  the  very  same  persons,  and  in  the  same 
sentence,  both  as  "Elders''  and  as  "Bishops." 

Again,  Acts  20:  17,  28.  "Paul  sent  to  Ephesus  and  called  the 
Elders  of  the  Church — "presbuterous;"  and  in  the  28  verse  of 
that  most  affectins;  address  which  he  delivered  to  them,  he  desig- 
nates  them  as  "episkopous"  Bishojis,  whom  the  Holy  Ghost  had 
'  made  Overseers  of  the  flock.  And  again  Peter  says,  I  Peter  5: 1,  2,  o, 
"  The  Elders,  presbuterous,  which  are  among  you,  I  exhort, 
whom  am  also  an  Elder,  feed  the  flock  of  God,  which  is  among  you, 
taking  the  oy^rsi'^/iUhereof,"  "episkopountes;"  that  is,  'performing 
the  part  of  ^^ Bishops"  towards  them. 

Now  from  these,  and  many  similar  passages,  it  becomes  clearly 
manifest  that  the  New  Testament  writers  were  in  the  habit  of  using 
those  official  titles,  "Bishop,"  "Overseer,"  ''Elder,"  &c.,  inter- 
changedly;   and  of  refering  the  functions  of  the  one  to  the  other. 


1\J 

Heace,  again,  therefore,  we  must  conclude,  either,  that  these  persons 
were  all  ^'Pastors"  and  "Teachers"  of  the  Churches  over  which  they 
are  represented  as  being  set  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  the  names 
Blsliopj  Overseer  and  Elder ,  are  only  different  names  for  the  same 
officer;  and  as  a  consequence,  that  all  the  early  Churches,  whether 
large  or  small,  had  a  plurality  of  Pastors  and  31inisters — or  we  must 
accept  the  far  more  reasonable  and  natural  conclusion,  that  these 
officers  of  the  Churches,  sometimes  called  "Bishops,"  sometimes 
"Overseers,"  and  sometimes  "Elders,"  included  the  "Pastor,"  or 
"Pastors"  of  the  Church,  if  its  size  and  necessities  required  more 
than  one;  and  those  "Elders,"  or  "Governments"  of  whom  Paul 
speaks,  as  the  co-workers  with  the  pastors  in  the  care,  oversight  and 
government  of  the  flock.  These,  therefore,  in  their  united  official 
capacity,  are  called,  indiscriminately,  "Bishops,"  "Overseers,"  or 
"Elders" — terms  which  express  the  functions  of  inspection^  super in- 
tendence,  guardianship,  (jovernmentj  discipline,  &c. — because  the 
"Pastors,"  being  rulers  and  overseers,  as  well  as  teachers,  were 
always  associated  with  the  other  officers,  and  designated  by  the  same 
common  terms:  t&e  offices  of  both  being  coincident  throughout,  with 
the  exception  only,  of  preaching  the  word  and  administering  the 
sacraments. 

This,  therefore,  brings  us  again  upon  that  "iacontrolable"  passage 
of  Paul,  as  Owen  calls  it;  "Let  the  Elders  that  rule  well  be  counted 
worthy  of  double  honor,  especially/  they  who  labor  in  the  word  and 
doctrine." 

The  simple  fact  of  the  case,  so  far  as  this  proof  is  concerned, 
seems  to  be  this:  in  every  apostolic  Church  there  was  a  plurality  of 
"Elders,"  with  whom  was  lodged  the  government  and  discipline  of 
the  Church;  who  presided  over  its  outward  interests,  and  who  were 
responsible  for  its  purity  and  spiritual  edification:  these  are  called 
"Bishops,"  "Overseers,"  "Elders,"  indiscriminately,  but  more  fre- 
quently the  "Elders  of  the  Churches."  One  of  these,  or  perhaps 
in  special  cases,  more  than  one,  was  the  "Bishop"  by  pre-eminence; 
or,  as  our  Baptist  brethren  would  say,  the  "Elder;"  or  as  Paul  char- 
acterizes them,  "The  Elders  who  labor  in  the  word  and  doctrine." 
These,  however,  are  more  commonly  called  the  "Pastors,"  or  "Teach- 
ers.'^ 


20 

If,  therefore,  these  positions  be  6orrect,  we  have  the  very  same 
warrant  for  Ruling  Elders,  that  we  have  for  Pastors  and  3Iinisters 
of  the  word. 

And  if  these  arguments  be  legitimate,  may  we  not  confidently  rest 
upon  them,  as  affording  us  ample  Scriptural  warrant  for  this  import- 
ant ojB&ce,  as  belonging  to  the  apostolical  organization  of  the  Church? 
And  with  this  Scriptural  warrant  for  it,  I  proceed  to  consider  in  the 
second  place,  the  true  nature  of  the  office. 

It  has  been  urged  as  an  argument  against  the  whole  doctrine  of 
our  Church,  on  this  subject  of  the  Eldership,  that  the  nature  of  the 
office  is  not  defined  in  the  Scriptures,  nor  its  duties  marked  out. 
This  objection  is  without  the  least  foundation  in  fact.  The  passages 
of  Scripture  which  teach  the  doctrine,  also  define  its  nature,  and  the 
duties  and  qualifications  of  those  called  to  serve  in  it.  One  passage, 
for  example,  informs  us,  negatively,  that  it  is  noi  "to  labor  in  the 
word  and  doctrine,"  and  affirmatively,  that  it  is  ''  to  rule  well  "  in 
God's  house : — Another,  that  it  is  to  exercise  government  in  the 
Church,  ^'Ruling  with  diligence :*' — another,  that  it  is  ''to  feed 
the  flock  of  God.. .taking  the  oversight  thereof... not  as  lords  over 
God's  heritage,  but  as  ensamples  to  the  flock."  And  the  whole  tenor 
of  the  Scriptures,  in  their  use  of  the  terms  which  designate  the 
office,  as  well  as  in  every  reference  to  it,  conveys  the  clear  and  distinct 
impression  of  the  office,  as  one  of  superintendence,  guardianship,  gov- 
ernment, discipline  and  guidance  in  the  Church,  and  among  the  people 
of  God.  Especially  is  this  the  case  in  the  New  Testament  Scriptures, 
where  the  office  is  commonly  designated  by  the  same  terms  which 
designate  the  office  of  the  ministry,  from  which  it  differs  only  as 
regards  the  preaching  of  the  word,  and  the  administration  of  the 
sacraments;  and  hence,  the  conclusion  is  a  legitimate  and  unavoida- 
ble conclusion,  that  as  it  regards  the  oversight,  government,  discipline, 
&c.,  of  the  flock,  the  nature  and  duties  of  this  office,  are  coincident 
with  those  of  the  ministry  I 

But  more  particularly  as  it  regards  the  nature  of  the  office.  It  is 
ever  to  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  Church  is  not  a  human  expediency, 
but  a  divine  institution ; — not  a  self-constituted  and  self-governed 
society,  but  a  divine  and  spiritual  organization,  having,  as  its  only 
and    all=gufficicat   constitution,    the  revealed    Word  of  God,  and  its 


21 

government  in  the  "hands  of  those  spiritual  officers,  whom  God,  by 
his  spirit,  qualifies  and  calls.  The  Church  is,  in  the  highest  sense  of 
the  term,  a  Theocracy,  of  which  Jesus  Christ  himself,  is  the  King 
and  Head.  It  follows,  therefore,  from  this  theocratic  character  of 
the  Church,  that  all  the  officers  of  the  Church,  are  the  ministers  and 
servants  of  Christ,  and  derive  their  authority  immediately  from  Him. 
Christ  has  not  only  determined  the  character  of  the  officers  of  his 
Church,  but  he  specifies  their  duties  ,*  defines  their  prerogatives  j 
gives  them  the  requisite  qualifications,  and  calls  them  into  his  Church; 
and  in  this  way  gives  them  their  official  authority  !  This  fundamen- 
tal and  most  glorious  truth,  against  which  even  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail,  is  manifested,  not  only  from  this  theocratic  character  of  the 
Church,  but  from  the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture.  How  express  and 
reiterated  is  the  testimony  of  God's  word,  that  He  ''set  some  in  the 
Church,  first  apostles,  secondly  prophets,  thirdly  teachers,  after  that 
miracles,  then  gifts  of  healing,  helps,  govenimenfs,  diversities  of 
tongues:"  &c.  That  Chinst  "gave  some,  apostles;  and  some,  prophets; 
and  some,  evangelists ;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers  ;  for  the  per- 
fecting of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying 
of  the  body  of  Christ :  till  we  are  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith, 
and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto 
the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of  Christ  I" 

More  than  this  in  the  way  of  explicit  testimony,  that  all  the  officers 
of  the  Church  derive  all  their  official  authority,  and  all  their  official 
inspiration,  immediately  from  Jesus  Christ,  is  not  needed  ;  and  more 
could  not,  in  reason,  be  asked.  And  believing,  as  we  have  attempted 
to  show,  that  we  have  the  same  warrant  for  the  office  of  Ruling  Elder, 
that  we  have  for  the  office  of  the  minister  of  the  Word, — that  both  arc 
included  under,  and  expressed  by,  the  same  Scriptural  titles — we 
claim,  that  this  office  is  the  appointment  of  Christ  in  the  same  sense, 
and  to  the  same  extent  precisely,  as  the  office  of  the  ministry. 

But,  as  the  Lord  Jusus  Christ  is  not  personally  present  with  his 
Church,  to  select  and  ordain  her  officers  and  ministers,  he  has  dele- 
gated this  interesting  and  important  function  of  the  government  to 
the  Church  herself.  Hence,  our  Standards,  with  a  comprehensive 
brevity,  which  we  believe  expresses  every  element  of  the  doctrine; 
and  the  very  teaching  of  the  word  of  God  on  the  subject,  aay,    con- 


22 

cerning  this  office,  ^'  Iluling  Elders  are  properly  the  represeutatives 
of  the  people,  chosen  by  them  for  the  purpose  of  exercising  govern- 
ment and  discipline,  in  conjunction  with  pastors  or  ministers ;"  for 
'^  The  Lord  Jesus,  as  King  and  Head  of  his  Church,  hath  therein 
appointed  a  government  in  the  hand  of  Church-Oificcrs/'  *'  To  these 
officers  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  arc  committed,"  ''And 
it  belongeth  to  these,  overseers  and  other  rulers  of  the  particular 
Churches,  by  virtue  of  their  office^  and  the  power  which  Christ  hath 
j:;iven  them  for  edification... to  appoint  assemblies,  and  to  convene 
together  as  often  as  they  shall  judge  it  expedient  for  the  good  of  the 
Church/' 

Here  then,  are  the  two  great  principles  entering  into  the  nature  of 
this  office — its  divine  appointment,  and  its  representative    character. 

Like  the  minister  of  the  Word,  the  Eider  comes  to  us  bearing  the 
commission  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  clothed  v/ith  his  official 
prerogatives  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  yet  as  the  representative  of  the 
people.  He  may  not  appropriate  this  office  to  himself ;  he  does  not 
inherit  it;  but  he  is  called  to  it  by  the  voice  of  the  Church  !  A  cor- 
rect apprehension,  therefore,  of  the  office  of  the  representative,  and  of 
his  relation,  at  once  to  the  people  whom  he  represents,  and  to  th  e 
constitution  under  which  he  acts,  will  do  much  towards  giving  us  a 
fuller  and  clearer  understanding  of  the  nature  of  the  office  itself. 

The  Representative  is  one  chosen  by  the  people,  to  discharge  the 
functions  of  a  ruler,  under  some  established  and  recognized  constitu- 
tion or  code  of  laws.  This  constitution  may  be  either  the  enactment 
of  the  people  themselves,  or  otherwise,  according  to  circumstances. 
A  representative  government  is,  therefore,  necessarily,  a  constitutional 
government,  and  the  relations  of  the  representative  to  the  people  and 
to  the  constitution  are  such,  that  the  very  moment  a  man  is  chosen 
by  the  people,  according  to  the  provisions  of  the  constitution,  to  any 
office  under  it,  he  ceases  to  be  the  servant  of  the  people,  passes  en- 
tirely beyond  their  control,  and  becomes  the  officer  of  the  constitu- 
tion, and  the  executor  of  its  provisions.  There  is  a  wide  and  funda- 
mental distinction  to  be  drawn  between  the  mere  deputy,  who  is  the 
servant  of  the  people; — the  organ  of  the  popular  will  and  the  pop- 
ular execution; — doing  in  his  official  capacity  only  what  the 
people  depute  him  to  do,  and  what  they  might  do  themselves  in  their 


28 


organic  capacit}'; — and  tlie  representative^  who,  as  W3  have  said,  is 
the  servant  of  the  constitution,  and  the  executor  of  its  provisions; 
deriving  all  the  inspiration  of  his  office  from  that  instrumeut :  and, 
whether  the  constitution  under  which  he  acts,  emanates  from  the 
people  them?elves,  or  from  some  power  extraneous  to  the  people; 
possessing  under  it  powers,  and  discharging  functions,  to  which  the 
people  as  such,  can  lay  no  claim  whatever.  In  this  exercise  of  his 
official  prerogatives  he  is  entirely  above,  and  independent  of,  the 
popular  will.  The  constitution  being  fixed,  and  the  government 
thereby  lodged  in  the  hands  of  representative  officers,  the  people  are 
not  only  excluded  from  all  immediate  participation  in  the  government; 
but  the  constitution,  and  not  the  people,  becomes  thenceforward,  the 
immediate  source  of  all  the  powers,  and  all  the  prerogatives  of  the 
representative.  To  this,  and  this  alone,  does  he  look  for  authority, 
and  direction  in  the  exercise  of  his  privileges,  and  in  the  discharge  of 
his  duties.  This  relation  of  the  representative  to  the  constitution, 
places  him  immeasurably  above  the  position  of  any  mere  organ,  or 
exponent  of  the  popular  will,  and  makes  him  the/;*«e,  conscientious^ 
responsible  executor  of  that  which  is  superior  even  to  the  popular  will. 
Now,  this  constitution  under  which  the  representative  acts,  and  to 
which  alone  he  is  responsible,  may  be,  as  I  have  said,  the  enactment, 
either  of  the  people  themselves,  or  of  some  power  higher  than  the  people. 
In  the  former  case,  all  power  vests  in  the  people,  till  they  circumscribe 
and  limit  their  power  in  the  constitution  ;  thenceforward  the  consti- 
tution becomes  the  repository,  and  the  source  of  all  official  functions, 
official  powers,  and  official  responsibilities.  In  the  latter  case,  how- 
ever, there  is  a  power  above  the  people,  from  which  emanates  that 
constitution  which,  with  authority  supreme,  defines  at  once  the  rela- 
tions, duties,  and  prerogatives  of  representatives  and  people.  In  this 
latter  case,  therefore,  the  people  have  no  voice  even  in  the  enactment 
of  that  constitution,  which  excludes  them  from  the  exercise  of  gov- 
ernment, and  vests  it  in  the  hands  of  representative  officers.  And 
this  latter,  is  precisely  the  government  of  the-  Church  of  Christ ; 
"  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  King  and  Head  of  the  Churchy  hath 
therein  appointed  a  governments  IN  THE  HANDS  OF  CiiURcn-OFFl- 
CERs  !"  It  follows,  therefore,  that  not  ministers  of  the  Word  only, 
but  also   all  Church-officers,  who  are  not  intruders  upon  holy  things, 


24 

not  onlj  hold  their  office  by  divine  appointment,  in  the  sense  in 
which  civil  powers  are  ordained  of  God,  but  in  the  higher  and  more 
important  sense  of  being  the  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ,  deriving  all 
their  authority,  not  from  the  people,  but  from  Christ  himself,  who 
specifies  their  duties,  defines  their  prerogatives,  and,  by  qualifying 
and  calling  them  by  the  voice  of  his  Church,  which  is  the  voice  of 
his  own  Spirit,  he  imparts  nuto  them  all  their  official  authority. 
"  The  function  of  the  Church  in  the  premises,  is  not  to  confer  the 
office,  but  to  sit  in  judgement  on  the  question,  whether  the  candidate 
is  called  of  Grod  ;  and  if  satisfied  on  this  point,  to  express  its  judge- 
ment in  the  public  and  solemn  manner  prescribed  in  the  constitution 
of  the  Church'^— the  Word  of  God. 

In  the  hands  of  these  officers  thus  originated,  ^'  The  Lord  Jesus 
as  King  and  Head  of  the  Church,^'  has  lodged  its  government.  The 
people,  therefore,  do  not  and  cannot  exercise  government  in  the 
Church  of  Christ,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  any  further  than  this- 
ihei/  choose  the  oncers,  2chile  Christ  creates  the  ojice,  defines  its  func- 
tions, calls  the  incumbent,  fits  him  for  his  duties  with  gifts  and  graces, 
and  sends  him  into  his  church  clothed  ivith  official  authority,  to  ^'ride 
with  diligence,"  and  to  feed — "potmanate,"  ^^icatch,  protect,  guide, 
rule — the  flock  oj  God^''  "  over  lohich  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made 
them  overseers  !"  In  all  these  important  respects,  God  has  excluded 
the  people,  by  the  very  constitution  of  his  Church,  from  any  exercise 
of  its  government  whatever  I  All  the  people,  and  all  the  Churches 
in  the  world,  cannot — dare  not — add  a  single  article  to  the  Church's 
constitution,  nor  subtract  one: — cannot  add  or  subtract  one  office;  or 
exercise  one  function  of  legislative  or  judicial  government  not  defined 
in  her  Great  Charter.  For  it  is  a  fundamental  principle,  not  only  of 
Presbyterianism,  but  of  all  true  religion,  that  Jesus  Christ  himself 
is  the  only  Head  and  Lawgiver  of  the  Church ;  his  written  word  her 
only  constitution,  and  the  authoritative  and  infallible  rule  of  her 
faith  and  order.  In  this  constitution,  therefore,  Jesus  Christ  has 
drescribed  the  officers  of  his  Church,  defined  their  functions,  &c.;  and 
these  officers,  acting  under  this  constitution,  are  responsible,  not  to 
the  people,  but  immediately  to  those  whose  prerogative  it  is  to  ''rule" 
and  "discipline;"  and,  i^epresentatively  through  these  to  the  people 
and  to  Christ — not,  however,  in  such  a  sense  as  to  divest  them  of  their 


2 


r 


higher,  personal  and  official  responsibility,  immediately  to  Christ,  as 
the  King  and  Head. 

In  this  sense,  and  only  in  this  sense,  is  the  Elder  the  representative 
of  the  people ;  and  precisely  in  the  same  sense,  so  far  as  the  func- 
tions of  his  office  are  coincident  with  those  of  the  Ruling  Elder,  the 
minister  of  the  "Word,  is  also  the  representative  of  the  people.  They 
are  both  representative  officers,  only  as  being  chosen  by  the  people,  to 
the  exercise  of  an  office  which  they  have  neither  created  nor  defined; 
and  that,  too,  only  on  the  ground  of  evidence  afforded  sufficient  to 
satisfy  the  Church,  that  Christ  has  already  called  them  to  this  office, 
by  fitting  them  with  graces  for  it,  and  giving  them  an  inward  prompt- 
ing of  his  spirit  towards  it  ! 

To  say,  therefore,  as  it  has  been  said  recently  in  high  places,  that 
'^  A  representative  is  one  chosen  by  others,  to  do,  in  their  name,  what 
they  are  entitled  to  do  in  their  own  persons,"  and,  therefore,  that 
'^The  powers  exercised  by  our  Ruling  Elders — as  being  ^The  rep- 
resentatives of  the  people ' — are  powers  which  belong  to  the  lay 
members  of  the  Church,"  is  to  assert  a  principle  which  is  fundamen- 
tally at  variance  with  the  plain  teachings  of  our  Standards,  and  of  the 
Scriptures,  as  interpreted  by  them.  And  to  say,  hence,  "  That  it  is 
the  right  of  the  people  to  exercise  government  in  the  Church  through 
their  divinely  appointed  officers,"  is,  as  I  humbly  conceive,  either,  a 
sad  misnomer,  the  effect  of  which  is  to  vitiate  the  mind  of  the 
Church  as  to  the  true  nature,  and  the  real  importance  and  dignity  of 
this  office  of  the  Church;  and  to  destroy  that  high  respect  and  rev- 
erence for  it,  which  the  people  of  G-od  should  ever  cherish.  Or,  it 
is  the  virtual  abandonment  of  the  whole  ground  to  the  Independents, 

If  it  be  ^'the  right  of  the  people  to  exercise  government  "  in  the 
Church,  in  any  i^roper  or  commonly  understood  sense  of  the  terms, 
then  there  is  some  point  where  they  may  interpose  their  prerogative 
to  arrest  the  government  and  make  it  different. 

But  this  is  assuredly  not  the  case  in  the  government  of  the  Church ; 
nor  is  the  principle,  from  which  this  consequence  must  necessarily 
flow,  true ;  to  wit :  "  That  it  is  the  right  of  the  people  to  exercise 
government  in  the  Church."  The  government  of  the  Church  is  the 
government  of  Christ,  in  "  the  hands  of  Church-Oeficers  I" 
Elders,  therefore,  are  Rulers  under  Christ,  whose  duty  it  is  to  study 

C 


26 

the  peace  and  prosperity  and  edification  of  his  body,  the  Church, 
by  diligent  oversight,  wholesome  government,  and  salutary  discipline: 
and  they  are  representatives  of  the  people,  simply  as  they  are  chosen 
by  them  to  the  exercise  of  these  functions,  under  that  constitution  of 
the  Church  which  Christ  has  ordained,  in  the  exercise  of  a  high,  per- 
sonal responsibility  to  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church.  Their  relations, 
therefore,  both  to  Christ  and  to  his  people,  are  precisely  the  same  as 
those  of  the  minister  of  the  "Word  j  and  so  far  as  it  goes,  i.  e.  so  far 
as  the  minister  is  a  ^'Euler''  in  the  Church — their  office  is  the  same 
also.  They  do  not  '^  labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine,'^  it  is  true, 
but,  as  "  Kulers  in  God's  house,"  ministers  and  Elders  have  precisely 
the  same  office ;  the  same  divine  warrant  j  the  same  authority  imme- 
diately from  Christ;  the  same  responsibility;  and  the  same  obligations 
laid  upon  them  '^  to  rule  with  diligence,''  and  "  to  feed  the  flock  of 
God  Avhich  is  among  them  f  "  and  over  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
hath  made  them  overseers !" 

III.  Having  thus  developed,  what  I  conceive  to  be  the  true  sense 
of  Scripture,  and  the  teaching  of  our  Standards,  concerning  these 
two  departments  of  my  subject,  I  come  now,  in  the  third  place,  to 
consider  more  fully  of  the  duties  of  this  office.  As  to  the  general 
principles,  however,  I  have  already  anticipated  this  department  of 
my  subject;  for  the  inference  will  be  immediately  drawn,  by  every 
mind,  that,  if  the  views  here  presented,  as  to  the  divine  warrant  for 
this  office,  be  correct;  and  if  the  nature  of  it,  as  shown  by  the  Scrip- 
tures and  the  Standards  of  our  Church,  be,  as  I  have  represented,  the 
great  duties  of  the  office  are,  necessarily,  the  same  as  those  of  the 
ministry,  so  far  as  the  two  offices  are  coincident.  The  offices  are  not 
coincident  throughout,  but  so  far  as  they  are,  the  duties  are  the  same. 
If  this  office  was  included  among  those  who,  in  the  New  Testament, 
are  so  frequently  addressed  as  the  '^  Elders  of  the  Church ;"  the 
"  Overseers  of  the  flock,"  &c. — if  the  Apostle  described  two  classes 
of  officers,  when  he  said,  ^'  Let  the  Elders  that  rule  well  be  counted 
worthy  of  double  honor,  especially  they  who  labor  in  the  word  and 
doctrine," — if  the  New  Testament  writers  were  in  the  habit  of 
referring  the  official  titles,  and  the  official  functions,  of  the  one  office 
to  the  other — and  if  these  "  Elders  who  do  not  labour  in  the  word 
and  doctrine,"  are  yet  charged  with  the  guardianship,  government 


27 

and  discipline  of  the  Churcli;  and  with  the  oversight,  care,  direction 
and  edification  of  the  flock  of  God,  "over  the  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
hath  made  them  overseers,'' — in  the  same  sense  as  the  Ministers  and 
Pastors ;  then,  this  conclusion  is  unavoidable:  that  in  all  the  great 
features  of  his  office,  the  Ruling  Elder  sustains  the  same  relations  to 
the  Church  and  people  of  God,  that  the  minister  of  the  Word  sus- 
tains ;  and  his  duties  and  responsibilities  are  the  same  also. 

In  reference  to  his  particular  duties,  however,  I  may  say  further, 
that  apart  from  the  general  idea  of  supervision  and  guardianship,  as 
an  officer  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  necessary  to  its  complete  or- 
ganization, perhaps  the  most  characteristic  and  important  duty  of  his 
office,  is  the  exercise  of  government  and  discipline.  The  Scriptures, 
throughout,  clearly  identify  him  with  the  government  of  the  Church; 
and  the  Apostle,  when  indicating  (Rom.  12:  8.)  the  permanent  officers 
of  the  Church,  defines  this  one  as,  "  He  that  7'idctJi."  Manifestly, 
therefore,  his  first  duty  is  to  "  rule  well;"  not  as  "  Lords  over  God's 
heritage,"  but  as  the  servants  of  Christ,  with  humility,  tenderness 
and  love ;  faithfully  and  diligently  conducting  the  government,  and 
executing  the  laws  of  his  house. 

The  divine  exhortation  to  you,  my  brethren,  is  that  ye  "rw/c  ivith 
diligence."  And  this  exhortation  includes  the  idea,  not  only  of 
executive  authority  and  activity,  but  also  of  official  responsibility  for 
the  purity  and  well-being  of  the  Church,  and  for  the  peace  and  comfort 
and  edification  of  its  members. 

As  the  highest  end  of  government,  is  the  prosperity  and  well-being 
of  the  governed,  and,  as  the  highest  end  of  discipline,  is  the  refor- 
mation and  salvation  of  the  offender,  therefore,  to  '*  rule  with  dili- 
gence," in  the  sense  of  the  Apostle's  exhortation,  is  so  to  superintend 
the  affairs  of  the  Church,  so  to  administer  its  government,  and,  when 
the  circumstances  require  it,  so  to  execute  its  discipline,  as  best  to 
subserve  these  ends.  And  the  duty  of  the  Elders,  as  '* rulers"  of 
the  Church,  is  to  watch  and  labor,  with  all  wisdom,  and  kindness, 
and  self-denial,  and  zealous  effort  for  the  accomplishment  of  these 
ends. 

Another  duty  cf  the  Elder  is  that  of  co-operation  with  the  minister 
or  pastor  of  the  Church,  in  all  his  plans  and  active  efforts  for  advanc- 
ing the   cause  of  Christ;  and  his  diligent  improvement  of  all  the 


appointed  means,  for  promoting  the  outward  prosperity,  and  the  inward 
purity  and  edification  of  the  Church. 

The  minister,  it  is  true,  stands  alone  as  authorized  to  preach  the 
Word  and  administer  the  Sacraments ;  but  in  all  other  departments 
of  his  official  labor,  he  has  associated  with  him  these  representatives 
of  the  people,  to  co-operate  in  the  common  efforts  and  common  respon- 
sibilities, for  the  welfare  of  the  flock.  In  all  that  concerns  the  over- 
sight and  government  of  the  Church,  and  the  watch  and  care  of  its 
members,  the  minister  is  not  distinguished  from  the  Elder:  both 
have  the  same  authority,  the  same  functions,  and  the  same  responsi- 
bilities ;  and  both  sustain  the  same  relations  to  the  Church,  on  the 
one  hand,  and  to  Christ,  the  Head  of  the  Church,  on  the  other  hand. 
Hence,  active  and  zealous  co-operation  with  the  minister  or  pastor,  in 
all  that  is  calculated  to  promote  the  temporal  and  spiritual  interests 
of  the  Church,  in  the  widest  and  most  laborious  sphere  of  activity 
and  self-denial,  is  no  less  his  duty,  than  it  is  the  duty  of  the  minister. 

He  may  not  preach  the  Word,  nor  administer  the  Sacraments,  but 
in  every  other  department  of  the  Church's  interests,  he  may  operate 
as  immediately,  as  efficiently,  and  as  authoritatively ;  and  he  should 
operate  as  earnestly  and  as  actively,  and  with  as  deep  a  sense  of  his 
responsibility,  as  the  Pastor.  Yea,  he  may  operate  even  more  widely 
and  efficiently  than  the  Pastor  himself;  for  he  sustains  relations  to 
the  people  which  the  Pastor  does  not;  and  has  their  sympathies,  and 
knows  their  wants  and  their  peculiarities  as  the  Pastor,  ordinarily, 
cannot;  and  hence,  he  has  a  wide  field  of  spiritual  labor  and  influ- 
ence which  is  all  his  own.  Indeed,  there  is  no  estimating  the  influ- 
ence, for  good,  in  all  the  departments  of  the  Church,  which  an  active 
and  devoted  Eldership  may  wield ;  and  would,  if  once  brought  to 
realize,  fully,  the  authority,  nature,  duties  and  responsibilities  of  their 
office.  I  have  no  doubt,  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church,  in  establish- 
ing this  class  of  officers,  contemplated  a  far  wider  field  of  labor  and 
usefulness  than  is  now  occupied  by  them :  nor  do  I  doubt  that  he  will 
hold  them  strictly  responsible  for  the  very  great  neglect  which  every 
where  prevails,  and  for  the  desolations  of  Zion,and  the  languishing  con- 
dition of  his  Church,  consequent  thereon.  Instead  of  rolling  the 
whole  burden  and  labor  over  upon  the  Pastor,  as  is  commonly  done, 
the  Elder  should  assume  his  full  share,  and  co-operate  in  conducting 


all  the  more  private  and  social  exercises  of  religious  worship ;  and  by 
his  presence,  activity  and  fervency,  contribute  to  make  these  the 
means  of  rich  grace,  and  the  channels  of  precious  spiritual  blessings, 
to  all  that  can  be  induced  to  attend  upon  them.  And  that  Elder  is 
inexcusably  culpable,  in  the  neglect  of  a  weighty  duty,  who  habitu- 
ally absents  himself  from  these  meetings. 

Again,  the  Elder  should  co-operate  with  the  Pastor,  by  assuming 
the  general  direction  and  supervision  of  the  religious  instruction  and 
spiritual  training  of  the  children  and  youth  of  the  Church.  The 
children  of  the  Church,  are  the  lambs  of  the  flock,  ''  over  which  the 
Elders  are  set  by  the  Holy  Ghost,'^  as  guardians  and  overseers.  And 
surely  towards  these  he  should  ever  cherish  the  most  tender  and 
affectionate  interest,  watching  over  them  with  the  utmost  solicitude 
and  carefulness. 

Still  again,  the  Elder  should,  actively  and  faithfully,  co-operate 
in  the  visitation  and  spiritual  care  of  the  sick  and  the  afflicted. 
There  is  a  very  high  value  placed  upon  this  duty,  even  as  a  charac- 
teristic of  a  living  Christianity,  but  a  still  higher  value,  as  a  duty 
devolving  upon  those  whom  the  Holy  Ghost  has  made  responsible  for 
the  care  of  the  flock.  "  Is  any  sick  among  you  ?  let  him  call  for 
the  Elders  of  the  Church;  and  let  them  pray  over  him... and  the 
prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up; 
and  if  ho  have  committed  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him." 

Closely  allied  to  this,  is  the  duty  of  regular  visitation,  from  house 
to  house,  to  become  acquainted  with,  and  to  inquire  after,  and  inter- 
est themselves  in  the  religious  and  spiritual  welfare  of  the  scattered 
members  of  the  flock.  There  is  a  wide  field  of  practical  usefulness 
here,  which  the  Pastors  cannot  possibly  occupy;  and  which  the  Elders, 
as  the  overseers  of  the  flock,  and  co-workers  with  him,  should. 
These  two  things  are  represented  in  the  Scriptures,  as  among  the 
most  important  of  the  duties  of  those  who  are  ^^  to  take  the  over- 
sight of  the  flock  !"  The  Elders,  therefore,  should  be,  characteris- 
tically, the  household,  and  hearth-side,  and  sick-bed  teachers  and 
preachers,  and  the  ministers  and  almoners  of  sympathy,  and  solace  to 
all  those  who  mourn  in  Zion. 

But  there  is  another  department  of  this  subject,  relating  to  the 
duties  of  the  Ruling   Elder,  which  is  of  great  practical  importance. 


30 

It  often  happens^  especially  in  this  western  country,  that  particular 
Churches  are,  for  a  longer  or  shorter  period,  left  without  Pastors  or 
Ministers  of  the  Word ;  and  the  question  arises — What  are  the 
duties  of  the  Eldership  under  such  circumstances  ?  If  the  question 
were  to  be  answered  from  prevailing  practice,  we  should  say,  their 
duties  were  very  few,  and  their  responsibilities  very  light.  The 
views,  however,  which  have  been  presented,  as  to  the  divine  institu- 
tion, the  spiritual  nature,  and  the  representative  character  of  the 
office,  will  lead  us  to  very  different  conclusions.  Every  inference 
drawn  from  these  conclusions,  together  with  the  express  letter  of  the 
Scriptures,  show  the  ''  Elders  of  the  Church,'^ — as  that  expression 
is  so  frequently  used  by  the  inspired  writers, — to  be  the  permanent 
and  responsible  overseers,  aad  guardians,  and  rulers  of  the  Church ; 
charged  by  the  Holy  Grhost,  "  to  feed  the  flock,"  watching  and  labor- 
ing with  zeal  and  fidelity,  and  self-sacrifice  to  promote  its  welfare, 
and  spiritual  edification.  This  is  the  official  charge  given  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  both  to  the  "  Ruling  Elders,"  and  the  ^'  teaching 
Elders  ;"  and  the  duties  involved  in  this  charge,  are  the  permanent 
duties  of  the  office ;  peculiar,  neither  to  the  Minister,  nor  to  the 
Elder,  but  common  to  both,  and  equally  obligatory  upon  both ;  being 
the  functions  of  the  common  office  of^^  Ruler,'^  and  ^'Overseer."  The 
charge  is  given  to  the  ^'  Elders  of  the  Church;"  and  the  duties  indi- 
cated, are  those  appertaining  to  the  office  of  the  ^^  Elders  of  the 
Church."  But  we  have  before  shown  that,  except  as  it  regards  the 
functions  of  preaching  the  Word,  and  administering  the  Sacraments, 
all  the  Elders,  whether  they  be,  as  Paul  characterizes  them,  those 
who  teach  and  rule,  or  those  who  rule  simply,  sustain  the  same  rela- 
tions to  the  Church,  and  to  Christ  its  Head;  and  have  the  same  office, 
the  same  duties,  and  the  same  responsibilities  on  behalf  of  the  Church 
and  people  of  God  ;  to  watch  over  them,  to  exercise  authority  among 
them,  to  labor  for  them,  and  to  nourish  and  edify  them  with  the  ordi- 
nances of  worship  and  the  means  of  grace.  These  are  relations,  and 
duties,  and  responsibilities  of  which  the  Elders  cannot  divest  them- 
selves ;  and  which  they  may  not  neglect  without  guilt.  When,  there- 
fore, the  Pastor,  or  Minister,  or,  as  Paul  describes  him,  the  ^'  Elder 
who  labors  in  tlie  Word  and  doctrine,"  is  removed  by  death,  or  other- 
wise, from  the  midst  of  his  associate    Elders,  and   Overseers  of  the 


81 

flock ;  and  the  Churcli  is  left  "  vacant/^  as  we  are  pleased,  with 
much  impropriety,  to  term  it,  the  Kuling  Elders  are  not  thereby 
absolved  from  their  duties,  or  their  responsibilities  on  behalf  of  the 
Church  and  people  over  which  Christ  hath  set  them.  If  their  rela- 
tions are  at  all  affected,  they  are  only  rendered  the  more  intimate  ; 
and  if  their  duties  and  obligations  are  at  all  affected,  they  are  only  made 
the  more  numerous  and  weighty.  The  attention,  oversight,  care, 
government,  discipline,  &c.,  of  the  flock,  now  devolve  wholly  upon 
them ;  and,  as  the  flock  still  requires  to  be  fed  with  the  truth,  and 
nurtured  with  the  ordinances,  and  "  led  amid  the  green  pastures, 
and  by  the  still  waters,''  of  spiritual  nourishment,  they  become 
responsible  now,  for  this  additional  work,  and  these  more  extended, 
and  more  difficult  duties.  Instead,  therefore,  of  falling  back,  when- 
ever the  Pastor  or  Minister  is  removed, — as  is  so  commonly  the  case, 
— into  entire  inactivity,  and  fancied  irresponsibility,  in  reference  to 
these  spiritual  interests  of  the  flock  ;  suffering  tbe  appointed  ordi- 
nances of  worship  to  cease,  the  house  of  Grod  to  be  closed  up  for 
weeks,  or  months ;  and  the  sheep  and  lambs  of  Christ's  flock  to  be 
scattered  abroad,  with  none  "  to  care  for  their  souls,"  it  is  the  7nan- 
ifest,  and  the  imperative  duty  of  the  Eiders  to  use  double  diligence 
in  their  watch  of  the  flock  )  to  gather  them  into  the  sacred  sanctuary 
from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  that  their  feet  stray  not  into  devious  paths; 
and  there  to  nourish  and  refresh  them  with  the  simple,  '^  sincere 
milk  of  the  G-ospel  /'  and  faithfully,  and  tenderally,  and  authorita- 
tively, go  in  and  out  among  them,  feeding  them  '^  amid  the  green 
pastures  and  by  the  still  waters."  The  Elders  muU  provide  for  the 
hungering,  thirsting  souls  of  God's  people,  spiritual  meat,  and  spiri- 
tual drink,  and  spiritual  nourishment  and  edification;  or  be  guilty 
before  God,  if  they  do  not  I  This  may,  and  will^  involve  labor,  time, 
expense,  self-denial,  and  self-sacrifice,  but  no  matter ;  these  things 
m,ust  be  provided,  or  the  people  perish,  and  the  Elders  are  Christ's 
officers,  called,  commissioned  and  qualified,  to  do  it !  It  is  the  very 
beauty,  and  excellency,  and  glory  of  the  Presbyterian  system  of  Church 
polity,  that  the  Church  and  the  flock,  are  never  left  without  the 
guardianship  of  spiritual  officers,  whom  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  not 
man,  has  set  as  overseers  of  the  flock ;  and  who  are  clothed,  by  Christ, 
with  all  the  functions  necessary  for  their  control,  government,  and 


82 

spiritual  nourisliment.  The  Pastor  or  Minister  may  be  removed,  but 
the  "Elders''  remain;  and  these  are  their  duties,  at  such  times, 
and  under  such  circumstances : — the  duties  with  which  Christ  has 
clothed  them,  for  the  government  and  edification  of  his  Church. 
"  The  Elders,''  therefore,  "  I  exhort,  who  am  also  an  Elder;  feed 
the  flock  of  Grod  which  is  among  you,  taking  the  oversight  thereof, 
not  by  constraint,  but  willingly;  not  for  filthy  lucre,  but  of  a  ready 
mind ;  neither  as  being  lords  over  G-od's  heritage,  but  being  ensam- 
ples  to  the  fiock.  And  when  the  Chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  ye 
shall  receive  a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away  !" 

Again,  as  the  Church  is  onej  the  Elders  are,  as  a  consequence, 
officers,  not  alone  of  the  particular  Churches  where  they  serve,  but 
of  the  Church  at  large;  and  hence,  are  responsible  to  the  utmost  of 
their  ability  and  active  influence,  for  the  general  welfare  and  pros- 
perity of  the  whole  Church.  Therefore,  another  most  important  duty, 
is  their  regular  attendance  upon  the  various  ecclesiastical  meetings. 
The  importance  of  this  duty  will  be  appreciated,  only  as  we  realize 
the  true  nature  of  the  Church,  and  the  close  relation,  and  intimate 
dependence,  of  the  several  members  upon  each  other.  Our  Presby- 
terian system  of  Church  Polity,  is  one  of  rigid,  logical,  and  vital 
consistency.  Her  members  are  scattered  everywhere,  yet  the  Church 
is  onc^  having  but  one  Head,  one  life,  one  operation,  and  one  com- 
mon mission.  Through  all  her  various  organizations,  from  the 
Church  session  up  to  the  highest  judiciatory,  flow  the  same  vital 
currents;  and  all  are  moved  by  the  same  vital  impulses;  and  are  so 
united  together,  as  the  same  body,  that  "if  one  member  sufi'er,  all 
the  members  sufi'er  with  it;  and  if  one  member  be  honored,  all  the 
members  re^ice  with  it." 

If,  therefore,  we  are  faithful  to  our  noble  system,  and  to  ourselves 
under  it — if  there  be  warmer  life;  if  there  be  stronger  faith,  or 
purer  love,  or  deeper  devotedness;  if  there  be  more  of  the  spirit  of 
missions — which  is  the  very  spirit  of  Christianity — in  any  one  part 
of  the  Church,  we  come  in  contact  with  it,  and  are  quickened, 
warmed,  benefitted  by  it.  Hence  it  is  found  to  be  true,  not  in 
theory  only,  but  in  sad  and  discouraging  reality,  that  Just  in  the 
degree  that  officers  and  Churches  separate  themselves,  by  negligence 
or  otherwise,  from  this  union  of  fellowship,   life  and  operation,  their 


83 

vitality,  power  and  efficiency,  dwindle  and  decay.  We  cannot  live 
alone;  we  cannot  work  alone;  we  cannot  rear  up,  strong  and  beauti- 
ful, the  walls  of  Zion,  without  the  fellowship  and  co-working  of 
many  hearts  and  many  hands.  Hence,  my  brethren  of  the  Elder- 
ship, the  importance  of  these  ecclesiastical  meetings,  and  of  your 
punctual  attendance  upon  them.  As  office-bearers  in  the  Church  of 
Christ,  and  influential  and  responsible  as  such,  there  is  much  for 
you  to  learn  here  which  can  be  learned  nowhere  else.  Information 
as  to  the  religious  wants  of  the  world,  and  the  Church's  correspond- 
ing obligations;  and  the  demands  upon  her  for  expansion  in  every 
department  of  her  operations;  for  more  strength  of  faith,  more  earn- 
estness of  zeal  and  love;  and  for  more  entire  consecration  of  herself 
to  the  accomplishment  of  her  great  mission.  And  as  we  have 
seen  the  parched  earth  fertilized  and  enriched  by  the  dews  and 
showers,  so  our  parched  souls  are  moistened  and  enriched  by  those 
choice  spiritual  influences,  so  often  shed  forth  where  God's  servants 
are  assembled,  planning,  consulting,  laboring  and  praying  for  the 
prosperity  of  Zion.  At  such  times,  the  truth  will  force  itself  upon 
the  conscience,  as  we  come  in  contact  with  the  labors  and  struggles, 
the  conflicts  and  the  accomplishments,  of  those  who  are  our  fellow- 
laborers  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  that  there  is  much  yet  for  us  to  do; 
that  there  are  positions  of  onward  advancement,  heights  of  elevated 
attainments  for  us  yet  to  reach;  that  there  is  yet  a  faith,  a  love,  a 
zeal,  a  devotednesg,  a  character  and  kind  of  Christian  working,  far 
above  and  beyond  anything  that  we  have  yet  attained.  Surrounded 
by  such  an  atmosphere,  the  heart  must  be  enriched  and  benefitted. 
Come  with  me,  ^'who  am  also  an  Elder,"  to  one  of  these  eccleseasti- 
cal  meetings;  mingle  in  their  councils;  unite  in  the  prayers  there 
ofi'ered;  listen  to  the  simple,  unvarnished  narratives  of  God's  deal- 
ings with  others;  bring  your  hearts  into  sympathy  and  contact 
with  hearts  that  are  warmer  than  yours;  bring  your  Christian 
faith  and  life  into  contact  with  a  faith  that  is  stronger,  and  a  life 
that  is  more  earnest;  and  if  you  do  not  return  better  men — more 
earnest  men;  better  officers  in  the  Church  of  Christ;  quickened  and  pre- 
pared to  take  a  higher  stand,  and  to  do  a  greater  and  better  work, 
then  I  have  studied  human  nature  in  vain,  and  pondered  the  spirit 
in  man  to  no  purpose! 

D 


34 

But  fail  in  your  attendance  upon  these  meetings,  and  you  not  only 
fail  of  all  these  benefits  yourselves,  but  the  Church  also,  which  you 
should  represent,  is  cut  off  from  the  union,  sympathy,  and  co-opera- 
tion in  the  work,  the  conflict,  and  the  onward  progress  of  her  sister 
Churches,  and  of  the  Church  at  large;  and  as  a  consequence,  she 
falls  out  of  rank,  and  out  of  connection  with  the  great  reservoir  of 
life  and  energy,  and  becomes,  like  the  hand  or  the  foot,  when  the 
arteries  which  convey  into  it  the  life  of  the  head  or  the  body,  are 
cut  off. 

The  Elder,  in  a  sense  that  is  entirely  peculiar,  and  eminently 
vital,  are  the  media  of  connection,  and  the  channels  of  spiritual 
influences,  flowing  from  the  Church  at  large,  in  her  assembled  wis- 
dom, earnestness,  and  authority,  into  the  particular  Churches  of 
which  they  are  the  officers. 

The  Elder  is  not  an  officer  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  solemn- 
ly set  apart  and  ordained,  merely  to  participate  in  occasional 
meetings  of  session,  and  to  distribute  the  elements  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  Sacraments.  No,  my  brethren,  Christ  has  laid  upon 
you  a  much  higher  office,  and  a  much  wider  and^more  weighty  respon- 
sibility. The  life  of  the  Church  is  represented  in  you — the  life  of 
the  Church  is  reached  and  influenced  through  you.  You  come  out 
from  the  membership  of  the  Church;  your  sympathies  are  with  them; 
your  hearts  beat  in  unison  with  theirs;  your  life,  as  a  development  of 
vital  Christianity,  is  in  constant  contact  with  theirs;  while  the 
authority,  the  influence,  and  the  prestige  of  a  divinely  appointed  office, 
are  vested  in  you.  The  interefcts  of  the  Churches,  therefore,  which 
you  represent,  the  character  of  their  piety  and  zeal;  the  character 
and  extent  of  their  efficiency,  as  organized  agencies  for  the  advance- 
ment of  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom,  are  all,  to  a  large  extent,  under  your 
control.  Is  there  benefit  of  any  kind,  flowing  to  the  Churches  from 
these  stated  eccleseastical  meetings?  That  benefit,  whatsoever  it  may 
be,  flows  through  you!  Is  it  knowledge  of  the  Churches  workings? 
Is  it  faith?  Is  it  the  renewed  kindlings  of  zeal  and  love?  Is  it  a  higher 
consecration?  Is  it  more  earnest  desires  for  the  salvation  of  the 
heathen?  Is  it  some  deeper  and  repentant  convictions  of  the  Church's 
short-comings?  Whatsoever  it  may  be,  you,  yoii,  are  the  channels 
of  communication;  as,  from  attendance  upon  these  meetings,  you 


35 

return  with  your  minds  informed,  your  hearts  warmed,  and  your 
souls  stirred  within  you,  and,  to  use  the  beautiful  figure  of  Scripture, 
with  your  hands  dripping  with  this  spiritual  myrrh,  and  alloes,  and 
cassia,  to  mingle  again  with  the  people,  over  whom  the  Holy  Ghost 
hath  made  you  overseers;  to  impart  unto  them  of  these  good  things, 
these  rich  treasures,  this  sweet  spicery.  But  all  this,  in  a  great 
measure,  is  lost  if  you  represent  them  not:  therefore,  to  the  full 
extent  of  these  considerations,  is  the  responsibility  laid  upon  you. 
Our  Presbyterian  system  of  church  polity  is  no  expediency,  no  device 
of  man's  wisdom;  but  comes  to  us  with  all  the  wisdom  and  authority 
of  the  divine  institution,  and  the  divine  sanction.  Believing,  there- 
fore, that  we  hold  that  system  of  polity  which  most  nearly  accords 
with  the  divine  word,  we  believe  that  the  Presbyterian  Church  is, 
just  in  so  far,  qualified  to  take  her  position  in  advance  of  every 
other  Church;  and  we  believe  that  G-od  will  hold  her  responsible  if 
she  does  not!  And  could  we  see  those  officers  whom  the  Great  Head 
has  appointed  for  her,  realizing  the  true  nature  and  character  of 
their  office,  and  beginning  earnestly  and  fully  to  perform  the  duties 
thereof,  we  should  soon  see  her  marching  forward  to  assume  her 
commanding  position  among  the  Churches,  like  Judah  among  the 
tribes  of  Israel,  and  '^glorious  things  would  be  spoken  of  her!'' 

IV.  Having  thus  imperfectly  indicated  the  most  important  duties 
of  the  office;  I  come  now,  in  this  fourth  and  last  place,  to  speak, 
briefly  as  I  can,  of  the  qiialijications  necessary  to  a  proper  dis- 
charge  of  these  duties. 

The  views  which  I  have  presented,  of  the  nature  and  duties  of 
the  office,  will,  almost  of  themselves,  suggest  what  are  the  necessary 
qualifications.  Surely  those  who  are  invested  with  the  functions 
of  an  important  spiritual  office;  and  one  so  essential  to  the  organiza- 
tion and  government  of  the  Church  of  Christ;  and  to  the  comfort 
and  edification  of  his  people,  should  be  possessed  of  character  and 
qualifications  corresponding,  in  some  degree,  to  the  position  which 
they  occupy,  and  the  duties  which  they  are  called  to  perfom. 

As  the  office   is  a  spiritual  office;   and  its  duties  those  of  govern- 
ment and  discipline  in  the  House  of    God;   and  as  those  who  are 
called  to  the  exercise  of  this  office  are,  from  the  very  nature  of  the 
office  itself,  '^overseers,"  and  ^^ensamples  to   the  flock;"  it  will  be 


36 

manifest  at  once,  that  sincere  piefi/  is  the  very  first  and  most  import- 
ant qualification.  This,  indeed,  is  that  pure  and  loving  spirit  which 
must  animate  and  sanctify  every  other  qualification  before  it  is  '^fit 
for  the  Master's  use,"  or  for  the  service  of  God's  house!  The  ques- 
tion has  been  well  asked:  ^^Gan  he  who  is  either  destitute  of  piety, 
or  who  has  but  little  of  it,  engage  in  the  arduous  and  deeply  spiritu- 
al duties  of  the  Ruling  Eider,  with  comfort  to  himself,  or  with  any 
reasonable  hope  of  success?" 

The  example  of  Christ,  and  the  teachings  of  his  holy  word,  are 
the  only  tests  of  genuine  piety:  according  to  these  it  is  neither  the 
correctness  of  a  cold  outward  conformity  to  the  law  of  God,  or  the 
precepts  of  right  action, — that  scrupulosity  which  would  "tythe  mint, 
anise,  and  cummin;"  nor  is  it  the  wild  efi'ervescence  of  excited  feel- 
ing; but  a  permanent  habit  of  holiness — the  soul's  own  calm,  deep, 
conscious  realization  of  the  principles  of  a  new  and  spiritual  life, 
from  which,  as  from  a  fountain  of  living  waters,  opened  up  by  the 
spirit  of  God,  flow  those  peaceable  fruits  of  "love,  joy,  peace,  long- 
suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance." 

Those  who  bear  rule  in  God's  house,  and  are,  from  the  very 
nature  of  their  office,  '^ensami)les  to  the  flock,"  should  possess  this 
fundamental  element  of  official  qualification  in  an  eminent  degree: 
its  sincerity  should  be  clearly  manifested;  its  light  should  shine 
brightly;  its  tone  should  be  deep  and  clear;  and  its  full,  strong  pulsa- 
tions should  be  felt  by  every  member,  and  to  every  extremity  of  the 
whole  body.  Yes,  my  brethren,  its  light  should  shine — shine 
brightly,  and  shine  with  the  warm  radiance  of  deep,  earnest  spiritu- 
lity.  This  should  be  the  most  impressive  feature  of  their  piety — its 
spirituality.  The  religion  which  they  profess  with  their  lips,  being 
deeply  infused  into  the  very  elements  of  their  being,  sanctifying  and 
spiritualizing  the  entire  moral  and  spiritual  man,  till  at  the  bar  of 
God's  word  and  their  own  omniscience,  and  before  the  tribunal  of 
the  world's  closest  scrutiny,  they  stand  confessed,  ^'men  of  God;" 
"Servants  of  Christ;"  ^'Holy  men,"  ^^whom  to  live  is  Christ!" 

Ah!  my  brethren  of  the  Eldership,  to  live  in  the  world  as  ^'burning 
and  shining  lights,"  "showing  forth  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  Crucified," 
is  the  Elder's  first,  and  highest,  and  holiest  duty."  "Heavenly 
mindedness,"  as  one  hath  said,  "should  ever  characterize  him.     He 


3T 

V 

should  be  knowa  as  a  man  of  grayer;  as  a  man  of  the  Bible;  as  a 
man  deeply  and  devoutly  engaged  for  Christ  and  his  cause.  It  is  his 
reproach  to  display  greater  zeal  in  politics,  than  in  religion;  to  be 
more  concerned  with  his  interest  table,  than  with  his  Bible;  to  mani- 
fest greater  eagerness  in  the  marts  of  traffic,  than  in  the  assemblies 
of  the  Saints;''  or  to  be  more  deeply  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the 
world,  than  with  the  spirit  of  Christ. 

This  living,  spiritual  piety,  should  mellow  the  harsh  asperities 
and  quick  irritabilities  of  his  natural  self;  and  make  him  a  model  of 
gentleness  and  kindness,  and  Christ-like  forbearance  and  long-suffer- 
ing; so  that  all  who  see  him  may  ''take  knowledge  of  him  that  he 
has  been  with  Jesus,"  and  has  learned  of  Him. 

Again,  this  deep,  controlling  piety  should  make  the  Elder  prudent, 
discreet  and  loise  in  all  his  private  and  public  relations.  Oh!  how 
indispensable  are  these  Christian  vir  tues,  and  graces  of  the  spirit 
to  *'rule  well"  in  the  house  of  Grod!  In  view  of  untold  evils,  constant- 
ly resulting  from  a  want  of  these  qualifications,  we  aro  constrained  to 
believe  that  that  sound  discretion,  genuine  prudence,  and  practical 
wisdom  which  flow  from  an  understanding  enlightened,  and  a  heart 
sanctified  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  are  among  the  most  essential  quali- 
fications of  the  Eldership:  and  to  possess  these,  in  large  measure, 
amid  the  difficult  emergencies  of  the  Church's  government  and  dis- 
cipline, is  a  qualification  of  the  rarest  value. 

And  still  again,  this  earnest  piety  should  move  the  Elder  with 
active,  burning  zeal  for  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  on  behalf  of  all  the 
interests  of  pure  religion  in  the  world.  Not  the  zeal  of  the  fanatic 
or  wild  enthusiast,  but  the  ardent  zeal  of  truth,  and  love,  and  God's 
Spirit,  kindled  with  coals  from  tha  t  "Most  Holy  Altar,"  laid  glow- 
ingly upon  the  heart!  That  zeal  which  "endureth  hardships,  as 
good  soldiers,"  and  "counteth  all  things  but  lost  for  Christ,"  and 
his  cause.  Oh,  my  brethren  of  the  Eldership!  'you  are  the  leaders 
and  ensamples  of  the  flock  in  all  these  respects;  the  exponents  to 
them  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  its  inward  spirit,  and  its 
outward  manifestations;  and  the  spirituality,  and  zeal,  and  activity, 
and  liberality,  and  devotedness  of  the  people  will  rise  no  higher, 
than  yours. 

But  a  second  general  qualification  for  the  office  of  Ruling  Elder, 


